Fubuki Sumiye: The Escape from Dread Tower (Book 2)(Completed)

Ep 14: Deception

Ah yes the mall, a place where fashion trends die but social life is flourishes. But in this case it's different.

Fubuki woke up with a throbbing headache. It was so bad it felt like someone was taking two fingers on either side of his head and pushing them into his skull. It sucked.

But his situation sucked even more. Looking around Fubuki was tied up in an abandoned mall to one of the poles.

Looking around in front of Fubuki was a long elevator going up to the second floor. All of the stores were vandalized or trashed. Fake palm trees and railings were covered in Christmas lights. In the center of the mall were bey stadiums covered in graffiti. In fact some kids were sliding down the escalators.

In the center was a large cage with a stadium fit for a battle Royale. The kids running around had shredded clothes and weird face paint. On their faces they each had a pop of pink face paint in different patterns or shapes.

But their hair was even more wild, one girl's hair was standing up on its own. Then on the second floor someone new emerged from the shadows.

She was a tall girl with short blonde hair, the tips of her hair were a teal green while her eyes were green. She wore a sleeveless jacket that was teal green with hints of purple. She wore a serious expression.

The spotlight followed her as she slid down the escalator. Kids around her were cheering and clapping. Then as she reached the bottom the spotlight shut off.

A short scrawny boy came out, he wore pink face paint. His hair was sticking up that was red at the ends. He too wore a sleeveless jacket and pants. He began talking about the battle Royale and it's rules.

But Fubuki was surprised that the girl wasn't announcing the battles. Instead she was walking straight over to Fubuki.

"Welcome to our headquarters: The Underground Kingdom. But you'll see that place here in a minute. I am Kiara, the leader of our group. You must be the trespasser I was hearing about."

"I'm Fubuki Sumiye from Japan my friend Valerie and I...Wait where's Valerie?"

"The other trespasser? She's not trustworthy, there's something off about her resonance so we had no choice to lock her up. But you on the other hand..."

She took out her bey, unlike her green and yellow color scheme her bey was different. It was blue, white and black with hints of gold. On the outside were shields and the inside was swords. In the center was a knights helmet with glowing golden eyes.

"Meet Arctic Knight."

Tapping into her beys power her eyes lit up looking over Fubuki. Then hearing something she looked down at her bey and nodded her head. She untied the ropes freeing Fubuki.

"Your resonance is slowly being corrupted. I'd say the most you have I less than two weeks. As for your friend her resonance has been corrupted for a long time. And the way she was acting only proved her condition."

"Wait, you said you were the leader of the Underground Kingdom. I thought Kurt was the leader?"

"Kurt is the leader, that is until he went missing. Here follow me."

Kiara put away her bey and started walking to another part of the mall. Fubuki followed, struggling to keep up.

"The mall is our base and headquarters but we do steal information and power from the Dread Tower nearby. I'll take you to your friend but I must want you. Some of the buildings are highly unstable and could collapse. So we need to be careful."

Going out the back door Kiara led Fubuki outside. At this point the sun was starting to set and it was getting dark outside.

Fubuki followed running across the land behind Kiara. Kiara led Fubuki back to the school where Fubuki was exploring earlier.

"We'll cut through the school to the.."

A loud creak was heard quieting them down.

"What was.."

"Shush."

Kiara put up her hand silencing Fubuki.

"Run."

The gym floor started caving in, sending Fubuki and Kiara into the depths of the underground tunnels.

******

"Ugh what happened?"

"We fell."

Kiara shook her flashlight and it turned on. Fubuki also took out his flashlight too.

"Where are we?"

"The Underground Tunnels, we did use these tunnels at one point for transportation but then something happened. Rumors started going around about a corrupted blader living down here."

Kiara got up and brushed herself off.

"But I don't buy into that. These tunnels are connected to every building in this area. This place used to be a military base. These tunnels were used for evacuation."

"Which way?"

Kiara looked either way unsure of which path to take.

"I had a map at one point but I must've lost it in that fall."

"Here."

Fubuki took out his bey tapping into its energy. His eyes started glowing and his bey gave off a dark energy.

"If I tap into my beys energy then I can connect with other beys and lead us out of here."

"Stop, if you keep doing that then it'll speed up your corruption. Here let me lead."

Kiara took out her bey tapping into its energy.

"This way."

After a few minutes of awkward silence Kiara broke the silence.

"So how long have you two known each other?"

"A couple of years, we're practically best friends."

"She seems nice but the way she acted to us was different from what you've been telling me."

"What do you mean? Valerie is one of the nicest people I know. She always likes helping others."

"I don't know about that it seems she's been lying to you for a very long time. Heck even longer than you've know her."

"No she wouldn't, she's not like that, she's sweet and kind and would never hurt anyone." Fubuki was almost yelling at this point and his eyes were glowing.

"Well she's corrupted Fubuki, whether you like it or not. And she's been playing you like a fiddle stealing your power. At this point your aura and power is very faint. Making it easier for you to be consumed."

"So what you're saying is she's possibly been under Vaughn's control this whole time. Wait, so if she's been stealing my power then..."

"Then what?"

Fubuki hung his head in defeat hating himself for now realizing it.

"Then she wants me to be corrupted."